WiFi in large and multi-storey homes

Why a single router fails

WiFi signal weakens with every wall and, above all, every floor slab. Stone walls, reinforced concrete, underfloor heating with foil layers and thermally coated glass all block it heavily. And the router is usually wherever the fibre comes in: a corner, the garage or a cupboard.

How many access points

There's no formula per square metre: it depends on materials and layout. As a guide:

• At least one per floor.
• An extra one on very long floors or those with thick internal walls.
• A dedicated one for outbuildings: garage, guest flat, plant room.
• An outdoor one for the terrace, garden or pool.

The right approach is to measure or simulate coverage on the floor plan before deciding.

Where to put them

• On the ceiling, in central circulation areas: they spread signal better than inside furniture.
• Away from metal surfaces, large mirrors and appliances.
• Not directly above one another on different floors: stagger them.
• Close to where they're used: study, living room, bedrooms.

A cable to each one

Each access point should get its network by cable and be powered over PoE. If the house has conduits, they're used. If not, we look for the least invasive route: suspended ceilings, service shafts or outside.

One network, no drop-outs

All the access points broadcast the same network and a controller coordinates them: your phone moves from one to the next as you walk, without the video call dropping. That's what separates a professional system from several unrelated routers.

Separate networks

• Main, for the family.
• Guests, isolated.
• Home automation, cameras and connected devices.

Outbuildings

For a barn, a detached garage or a pool house, a buried cable or fibre is ideal. Where that isn't possible, a point-to-point wireless link between the two buildings gives a stable result.

Signs it's been done properly

• Speed is similar on every floor.
• You can walk through the house on a video call without it dropping.
• The bedroom TV doesn't sit buffering.
• Someone can see, from a console, which devices are connected and whether any have failed.